Locking device fob



0. F. COLEMAN.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR STEERING WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MARIZQ, I916- Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

- INVENTOR v WITNESSES:

BIZ/7 I 0. F. COLEMAN.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR STEERING WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR29, 1916' Patented Aug. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR flwfmm DUB I I IIII III I! WITNESSES:

BY '11 OB/VEV 2 G$GAR F. GOLE'ii/IAH,

OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR STEERING-WHEELS.

(new:

Application filed March 39, 1918. Serial No. 8?,569.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Oscar F. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Locking Device for Steering- Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to means for locking the steering wheel of an automobile so that the front axle may be securely held at an angle to prevent any other movement of the automobile, by unauthorized parties, than a movement in a circle or curve of small radius, or a movement against the curb if the front wheels are disposed adjacent to the curb.

General objects of the invention are to provide a locking means of the indicated character that may be expeditiously engaged with the Wheel and firmly secured in locked position, and as quickly disengaged from the wheel to release the latter; and to provide a reliable locking means of simple form.

More specific objects of the invention and the advantages of the novel construction and arrangement of the parts will appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section. of the upper portion of a steering rod and steering post having my invention applied thereto, the view including the steering wheel partly in side elevation, thelocking devices being out of engagement with the wheel; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section showing the locking devices in locked engagement with the wheel hub; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, Fig. :2; Fig. is 'a detail horizontal section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the locking sleeve; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a reinforce for steering posts of thin material; Fig. 8 is a partly section side elevation showing an attachment for wheels having round hubs to adapt the hub to receive my improved locking means; Fig. 9 is a vertical section with the locking devices in the disengaged position, and showing the invention adapted to the special steering devices of the Ford automobile.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, the steering'wheel 10 may be generally of any standard make and having a hub 11, adapted to receive my improved locking means. The numeral 12 indicates the steering post and 13, the steering rod. My improved locking means includes a device designated generally by thenumcral 14 and being essentially in the form of a. sleeve, slidably fitted on the steering post 12. Said sleeve 14 is provided with a clamp including fixed and movable members, 15, 15*, the one member 15 being pivoted as at 15 to swing in a horizontal plane to and from the rela tively fixed clamp member. Both clamp members are formed with lugs 16 at one side to lie adjacent to each other when the swinging arm is closed, said lugs being provided with alined holes 17 to receive the shackle of a padlock A. It is to be understood that any other suitable locking means may be provided to retain the swinging arm 15 in the closedposition. The sleeve 1-1, at the inside, is formed with radially projecting studs 18,-which are received in vertical slots 19 in the post 12 at the upper end of the latter. To close the upper ends of the slots 19, a ring 20 is secured to the post 12 by rivets 21, or other means.

lPhe swinging clamp, member 15 is formed, as clearly seen in Figs. 3, 5 and 6,

with a stud or projection 21?- on the inner face and the hub 11 is formed with radial recesses 23, eitherof which is adapted to receive the said projection 22. In the use of the lock, however, the wheel 10 having been turned to dispose the front axle of the automobile at an angle to prevent the automobile from traveling in a straight direction, the arm 15 of the clamp is swung outwardly and the sleeve 14 is raised to the hub 11 so that the latter is received within the clamp. The swinging arm is now brought to the closed position to enter with the projection 22 thereof within one of the recesses 23 of the hub. In this position of the clamp, the look A is applied so that the wheel is firmly locked against turning and the front axle thus maintained at thegiven angle. The hub 11 preferably, is hexagonal or otherwise made non-circular on the outer surface, and the interior of the clamp isfformed to correspond. TVhen hubs are not provided with the hexagonal face, an attachment 11", Fig. 8, may be threaded to the hub 11 of the wheel 10 and secured by a pin 11 or equivalent means. Said attachmei'it ll will present a polygonal face and will be provided with recesses 23 correspmiding with the recesses 23. In the case of tubular steering posts of thin material, which, when slotted, might not have sullicient strength to prevent the forcible turning or wrenching of the locking device, a reinforce l2, Figv 7, may be applied to the post and secured thereto by rivets through holes 25 in said reinforce. the latter having slots it) to register with the slots 19 in the post. it is to be understood that the ring 20 is to be employed with the reinforce 12, the latter being formed with holes 25 to receive the rivets or pins 21 previously referred to. lVith the reinforce secured by Fastening means passing through the holes if) after being slipped over the usual steering post, the latter need not be slotted.

In Fig. the invention is shown applied to the steering devices of a Ford automobile. The sleeve l-l in this instance is in the form of a comparatively thin ring. Otherwise, it is the same in all respects with the sleeve 14, being eipiipped with fixed and movable clamp members, 15, 1:7 the latter being pivoted as at 15, the clamp members having lugs IE6" and slots 17 for receiving the shackle oi the lock 1%.. The sleeve 1 F has studs 18* correspondingwith the studs 18 and these are received in slot-s 19 in a, neck '12" corresponding, except as to the height and the provision of the slots 19", with the usual neck on the cap 12, which is provided -tor the gear box 12 on the collar 12 of the Ford car. The neck l2 has a ring 20 come spending with the ring 20,"being suitably secured in position to close the upper ends of the slots 19'. The hub 11 of the wheel 10" is provided with recesses 2-3 for receiv ing the described stud 22 on the clamp.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A locking means for steering wheels including a sleeve arranged to be slidably mounted ona steering post for IIIOVGHIBIll? to and from the steering wheel while heldagainst turning movement on the, said post, a clamp on the said sleeve including a lateral swinging arm adapted to interlock with the hub of the steering wheel, and means to lock the said clamp in engagementwith the hub.

The combination with a steering Wheel and steering post having vertical slots there in, a. sleeve slidahle on the post and provided with members to enter said slots to he slidable therein, a clamp including a laterally swinging arm, a projection on said arm, the wheel hub having lateral recesses at different points therearound to receive said pro-' jection, and means on the savinging armand on a relatively fixed part of the sleeve adapted to receive a lock.

3. The combination with a steering wheel and a steering post having a vertical slot adjacent to the wheel hub, a sleeve slidably fitting said post for movement to and from the hub and formed with a stud ext-ending into the slot of the post, the said sleeve being of a length to cover the slots in the raised position of the sleeve, a clamp on said sleeve adapted to embrace the wheel. hub, said clamp including side members, one of which is pivoted to swing laterally to and from the other member, said clamp members having lugs adapted to receive a lock, the said pivoted member having a project-ion on the inner face thereof, and the wheel hub having a recess :dapted to receive said. projection.

4. A locking means for steering Wheels including a member having vertical slots, a sleeve having studs extending into said slets and adapted to engage a wheel hub,a fixed clamp member on the sleeve, a pivoted clamp arm on said sleeve and movable laterally toward and from the fixed. member and provided with a lateral projection at the interior, said clamp members having polygonal inner faces and formed with lugs adapted to receive a lock; in con'ibination with a steering wheel having a polygonal hub formed with recesses adapted to receive said lateral p roj ection;

The combination with a steering wheel having-a polygonal hub, of a clamp slidably mounted below the hub tor movement to and from the latter while held against turning, the said clamp having a polygonal interior to correspond with the hub, and means to,

hold the clamp in engagement-with the hub.

(3. In a locking device for steering Wheels,

a tubular reinforce adapted to he slipped over the steering postoi an automobile and having means at its lower end to secure said reint'orce to the steering post, the upper end of said reinforce having vertical slots adapt ed to receive a wheel-locking means, and a ring secured to said reinforce at the interior of the same, adjacent to and closing the upper ends of said slots.

7. The combination with a steering Wheel and a steering post having vertical slots therein, and a ring at the upper ends of the slots to close the latter, of a sleeve slidable on the post and provided with members to enter the slots to be sli lable therein, and a. clamp including a laterally swinging arm having a projection at the inner side thereof, the hub of the wheel. having lateral recesses to receive said projection, and means on the swinging arm and on the relatively fixed part of the sleeve adapted to rcceive'a lock.

8. The combination with a steering wheel and a polygonal member secured to the hub of the wheel and coaxial therewith, and formed with lateral recesses, of a clamp slidably m imed below the hub for movement to and from the latter and held against turning, the said clamp having a polygonal interior to correspond 'With the said polygonal, member the said clamp furthermore,

having a laterally movable member formed with :1 projection to enter said recesses.

9. The combination 'Wlilll a steering wheel and a steering post having a vertical slot therein, a sleeve slidable on the post and provided With a member thereon projecting radially inwz rcl into said slot and preventing turning movement of 'the sleeve while pez mltting sliding movement thereof on the 

